The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments regarding (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments regarding this information collection received by September 19, 2013 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building, 725—17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20502. Commenters are encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-8958.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service
Title: Virus-Serum-Toxin Act and Regulations in 9 CFR, Subchapter E, Parts 101-124.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0013.
Summary of Collection: The Virus-Serum-Toxin Act (37 Stat. 832-833, 21 U.S.C. 151-159) gives the United States Department of Agriculture, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) the authority to promulgate regulations designed to prevent the importation, preparation, sale, or shipment of harmful veterinary biological products. A veterinary biological product is defined as all viruses, serums, toxins, and analogous products of natural or synthetic origin. In order to effectively implement the licensing, production, labeling, importation, preparation, sales, or the shipment of harmful veterinary biological products, and other requirements, APHIS employs a number of information gathering tools such as establishment license applications, product license applications, product permit applications, product and test report forms and field study summaries.
Need and Use of the Information: APHIS uses the information collected as a primary basis for the approval or acceptance of issuing licenses or permits to ensure veterinary biological products that are used in the United States are pure, safe, potent, and effective. Also, APHIS uses the information to monitor the serials for purity, safety, potency and efficacy that are produced by licensed manufacturers prior to their release for marketing. APHIS also enforces regulation concerning production, packaging, labeling, and shipping of veterinary biological products, and sets standards for the testing of these products. Failing to collect this information would severely cripple APHIS' ability to prevent harmful veterinary biologics from being distributed in the United States.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit; State, Local or Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 220.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 78,349.
Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service
Title: Commercial Transportation of Equines to Slaughter.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0160.
Summary of Collection: Sections 901-905 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901), authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to issue guidelines for regulating the commercial transportation of horses to slaughter by person regularly engaged in that activity within the United States. To fulfill this responsibility, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) established regulations in title 9, part 88 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The minimum standards cover among other things the food, water, and rest provided to these horses while they are in transit; and to review other related issues that may be appropriate to ensuring that these animals are treated humanely. Implementing these regulations entails the use of information collection activities such as providing business information, completing an owner/shipper certificate and continuation sheet, and maintaining records of the owner/shipper certificate and continuation sheet.
Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect the following information: (1) Shippers name and address and the owner's name and address; (2) description of the transporting vehicle, including the license plate number; (3) a description of the horse's physical characteristics, including its sex, coloring, distinguishing marks, permanent brands, electronic means of identification, or other characteristics that can be use to accurately identify the horse; (4) the number of the USDA backtags that has been applied to the horse; (5) a statement of the animal's fitness to travel, which must indicate that the horse is able to bear weight on all four limbs, is able to walk unassisted, is not blind in both eyes, is older than 6 months of age, and is not likely to give birth during the trip; (6) a description of anything unusual with regard to the physical condition of the horse, such as a wound or blindness in one eye, and any special handling needs; (7) the date, time, and place the horse was loaded on the conveyance; and (8) a statement that the horse was provided access to food, water, and rest prior to transport. This information is helpful in those instances in which APHIS must conduct a trace back investigation of any possibly salleged violation of the regulations.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 300.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 9,803.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-20240 Filed 8-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P